Victor Heads to Finals for Sixth Straight Year

2018-05-26 - Top seeded Victor held fifth seeded Schroeder scoreless for 39 minutes spanning all four quarters to defeat the Warriors 7-4. Schroeder defeated fourth seeded Irondequoit 10-7 to make the Semi-Finals for the first time since 2016. Victor has now made the Finals for the sixth straight time.

Schroeder scored the game opener a little less than four minutes into play. Mareck Chistman scored unassisted with a single player drive. He came along the top of the crease from the top right. He crossed the crease and then turned back for a central shot. Two minutes later, Victor tied the game for the first time. Their goal came during a man-up attempt. Joey Pezzimenti scored off a feed from Connor Keenan with a shot straight down the center. Schroeder scored their second with a hard outshot side by AJ Florio that was slowed down by Victor goalie Chayse Ierlan. The momentum kept the ball going and in dribbled into the cage. Ierlan finished at 6 saves for the Blue Devils. The Warriors did not score again until the final minute of the fourth quarter. The final goal of the first quarter began with a drive from Sam Lambert. Lambert drove to the double and after a slide, followed the pass to Mitchell Cain. The score was tied 2-2 after 12 minutes.

The Blue Devils scored both goals; however, it took until 2:18 for the Blue Devils to score their first of the quarter. The play began with a good check from Stephen Connolly that resulted in a loose ball being sent behind the cage. Sam Lambert grabbed the loose ball behind. He then drove up and dodged to the crease. Just over a minute later, Pezzimenti scored his second from the left goal line. Camden Hay fed the ball down to Pezzimenti as his defenseman lost positioning. He pushed himself forward and with a quick step, finished into the upper corner over goalie Evan Alfano. The Blue Devils led 4-2 going into halftime.

The third quarter was similar to the fourth; low scoring offense with large periods of back and forth play. Both teams had opportunities at offense, but only Victor could finish. Victor scored the lone goal of the quarter with 5:02 remaining. Keenan scored the goal with a back handed shot while twisting on the crease. The feed came from Lambert which caused Keenan to turn and release the ball from his hip as he twisted directly in front of the crease. Victor led 5-2 after 36 minutes.

Victor kept their slow pressure in the final quarter. They scored their sixth and seventh goal with inside feeds to the crease. Both goals were scored by Hay with feeds from Alexander Mabbitt and Andrew Russell. With just over a minute left, Schroeder got back on the board with their first goal since the opening quarter. With 1:04 remaining, Schroeder scored with an outside shot by Hunter Olsen with a feed from Florio. After a conduct foul gave Schroeder the ball back without a faceoff. Florio drive straight to the cage for another goal ten seconds later. The Blue Devils move to face Webster Thomas in the Finals on Wednesday May 30th.